Grinding machine footstock



H. S. [NDGE Aug. 5, 19414.

GRINDING MACHINE FOOTSTOCK 2 Sheets-Sheekl 2 Filed April 25, 1941HER/SER TSI/V055- Patented Aug. 5, 1941 GRINDING MACHINE FOOTSTOCKHerbert S. Indge, Westboro, Mass., assigner to Norton Company,Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 25,1941, serial No. 390,246

(cl. 51- 2a7l 6 Claims.

The invention relates to grinding and abrading machines, and moreparticularly to a footsto'ck for supporting a rotatable Work piece.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple and thoroughlypractical footstock for supporting a cylindrical work piece in anabrading machine. Another object of the invention is to provide afootstock which is readily movable to and from an operative position tofacilitate loading of work pieces into the machine. Another object ofthe invention is to provide a pivotally mounted footstock which isarranged to be swung to and from an operative position. A further objectof the invention is to provide a toggle actuated, pivotally mountedfootstock which may be readily and rapidly moved to and from anoperative position. Other objects will be in part obvious or in partpointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, as will beexemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described, and the scopeof the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possibleembodiments of the mechanical features of this invention- Fig. 1 is afront elevation of the improved ootstock;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the footstock; and

Fig. 3 is a Vertical sectional View, taken approximately on the line3-3of Fig. 1.

The improved footstock I has been illustrated in the drawings forrotatably supporting a work piece II in a grinding or lapping machine.The footstock I0 comprises a base I2 which is adjustably clamped inposition on a work supporting ltable (not shown) by means of clampingbolts I3, the heads of which mate with T-slots (not shown) formed in theupper surface of the table. The base I2 serves as a support for apivotally mounted steadyrest frame I4 which is pivotally supported on arock shaft I5. 'Ihe rock shaft I5 is journalled in suitable bearings I6and I1 which are in turn ixedly supported in upwardly extending bossesI8 and I9. The bosses I8 and I9 are formed integral with the base I2.

The steadyrest frame I4 is provided at its upper end with acylindrically shaped portion having a central aperture 2| which servesas a rotatable support for a footstock spindle 22. The footstock spindle22 is rotatably journalled in anti-friction needle bearings 23 and 24which are interposed between a sleeve 25 which fits within the aperture2| and the peripheral surface of the iootstock spindle 22. The spindle22 is hollow and is provided at its left-hand end with afrusto-conically shaped aperture 26 which is arranged to support afootstock center 21.

In order that the footstock center 21 may be maintained in yieldingengagement with the work piece II during an abrading operation, acompression spring 28 is contained within a central aperture 29 in thefootstock spindle 22. The spring 28 is interposed between a shoulder atthe left-hand end of the aperture 29 and a rotatable stud 3Il which isrotatably supported by an end thrust bearing 3|.

An adjustable stop screw 35 is supported in an upwardly extending lug 3Sformed integral with the base I2. The stop screw 35 is arranged to beengaged by a stop abutment 31 formed on the pivotally mounted steadyrestframe I4 and serves to limit the swinging movement of the frame I4 in acounterclockwise direction so that the axis of rotation of the footstockspindle 22 is in alignment with the axis of the headstock spindle.

, In some types of grinding or lapping, it is desirable to move thefootstocl out of the way during a loading operation to facilitateloading of work pieces into the machine. To accomplish this result, thesteadyrest frame I4 is arranged so that it may swing in a clockwisedirection into the broken line position |40, (Fig. 1) so that its uppercylindrical portion 20 supporting the footstock spindle 22 and center 21assumes the broken line positions 20a. and 21a (Fig. 1).

A toggle lever mechanism is provided for rapidly moving the steadyrestto and from an operative position and for maintaining it in an operativeposition during an abrading operation. The toggle lever mechanismcomprises a pivotally mounted frame 40 which is provided with oppositelyextending hubs 4| and 42 (Fig. 2). base I2 is provided with oppositelyextending hubs 4| and 42 (Fig. 2). The base I2 is provided with a pairof spaced upwardly extending bosses 43 and 44 which in turn support apair of pivot studs 45 and 4S. I'he hubs 4I and 42 are provided withsleeve bearings 41 and 48, respectively, which are rotatably supportedon the studs 45 and 46, respectively. It will be readily apparent fromthe foregoing disclosure that the frame 40 may be readily rocked aboutthe axis of the aligned supporting studs 45 and 46. 'I'he frame 40 ispreferably formed as a hollow frame The so that the cylindrical portion20 of the pivotally mounted footstock frame I4 may readily swing to andfrom an operative position. The frame 40 is provided with a pair ofspaced arms 49 and 50 which are'pivotally connected by studs 5I and 52with the ends of a pair of toggle levers 53 and 54, respectively. Theother ends of the toggle levers 53 and 54 are pivotally connected by astud 55 with the upper portion of the pivotally mounted steadyrest frameI4. A manually operable handle 58 is mounted on the frame 40 tofacilitate moving the steadyrest frame to and from an operativeposition.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing disclosure that when thehandle 58 is rocked in a clockwise direction into broken line position58a, the frame 40 will also be rocked in a 'clock- Wise direction intoposition Mia (Fig. 1), in which position the link 53 shifts intoposition 53a and the corresponding parts of the footstock assume thepositions indicated in broken lines and designated by the referencenumerals suixed with the ,letter a.

Similarly, when it is desired tosupport a work pieces II in operativeposition in the'machine, the control lever 58 is moved in acounterclockwise direction from the broken line position 58a into Vthefull line position, which movement serves through the toggle lever frame40 and the toggle levers 53 and 54 to swing the steadyrest frame i4 intothe full line position as shown in Fig. 1 with the stop abutment 31 inoperative engagement with the stop screw 35. When the footstock frameIii is in an operative position, the' axes of the studs 5, 5| and 55 aresubstantially in the same plane, so that the toggle levers lock thesteadyrest in an operative position during the abrading operation.`

The steadyrest base I2 is adjusted longitudinally of the supportingtable, not shown, so that when the footstock center 21 together with thefootstock frame Il are in an operative position, the spring 23 will becompressed so as to maintain the'center 21 in yielding engagement withthe Work piece H during an abrading operation.

The operation of this improved footstock I0 is readily apparent from theforegoing disclosure. The footstock frame I2 is clamped in position onan abrading machine by means of clamping bolts I3. A work piece I I isinserted in position on the l machine and the iootstock control lever 58is shifted from broken line position 58a into full line position 58(Fig. 1) to swing the steadyrest frame i@ `into an operative positionwith the footstock Ycenter 2 in supporting engagement with the workpiece II. Due to the toggle lever actuating mechanism, the footstockframe I4V is Vmaintained in an operative positionr with theV stopabutment 37 engaging the stop screw 35 by means lcfa locked toggle leveractuating mechanism. After an abrading operation has taken place, thefootstock control lever 58 may beV moved in a clockwise direction intoposition 58a to brake the toggle lever and shift the parts including thefcotstock center 2Iinto the broken line position shown in Fig. 1, thusremoving the foot-stock parts to facilitate removal of the nished workpiece and the loading of a new Work piece in position thereinstead.

It Ywill thus be seen that there has been providedby this inventionapparatus in which the various objects hereinabove set forth togetherVwith many thoroughly practical advantagesr are successfully achieved. Asmany possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as manychanges might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to beunderstood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A footstock for an abrading machine comprising a footstock base, aframe pivotally supported on said base, a footstock center, a rotatablesleeve in said frame to support said center, and manually operable meansto swing said frame to either an operative or inoperative position.

2. A footstock for an abrading machine comprising a footstock base, aframe pivotally supported on said base, a footstock center, a rotatablesleeve in said frame to support said center, and manually operable meansincluding a toggle lever` mechanism to swingsaid frame to either anoperative or inoperative position.

3. In a footstock for abrading machines having a steadyrest base, aframe pivotally supported on said base, a rotatable spindle, bearingsfor said spindle in said frame, a footstock center supported by saidspindle, an adjustable stop screw on said base and a stop abutment onsaid frame to locate said frame in an operative position with the axisof the spindle and center in a predetermined position, and manuallyoperable means to swing said frame to or from an operative position tofacilitate loading and unloading of work pieces.

4. In a footstock for abrading machines having a steadyrest base, aframe pivotally supported on said base, a rotatable spindle, bearingsfor said spindle in said frame, a foctstock center supported by saidspindle, an adjustable stop screw on said base and a stop abutment onsaid frame to locate said frame in an operative position with the axisof the spindle and center in a predetermined position, and a manuallyoperable toggle lever mechanism connected between the footstock base andframe to swing said footstock frame and center either to an operative orinoperative position.

5. In a footstock for abrading machines having a steadyrest base, meansadjustably to clamp said base on a machine, a frame pivotally supportedon said base, a rotatable spindle, a footstock center supported thereby,bearings for said spindle in said frame, yieldable means normally toexert an axial pressure on said spindle in one direction to maintainsaid center in yielding engagement with a work piece, and a manuallyoperable means to swing said frame and center to and from an operativeposition.

6. In a footstock for abrading machines having a steadyrest base, meansadjustably to clamp said base on a machine, a frame pivotally supportedon said base, a rotatable spindle, a footstock center thereon, bearingsfor said spindle in said frame, a spring normally to exert a pressure onsaid spindle in a direction to maintain said center in yieldingengagement with a work piece, and a manually operable toggle levermechanism to swing said frame and center to or from an operativeposition, said toggle lever mechanism being arranged to hold said framein an operative position. Y

HERBERT S. INDGE.

